Music is a very personal thing. What's pleasing to the ears of one person can be nails on a chalkboard to another. Even iPod playlists are like snowflakes: no two alike. But I find that people can be most varied when it comes to what they listen to when they need to be soothed.
The very definition of the word "soothe" is "to tranquilize or calm." Think auditory Xanax. A quick Amazon search of "soothing music" leads to mostly instrumental compilations meant to lull you to sleep. For me, these Enya-eque tunes are more boring than calming.
So, what mellows me? Well, a little Sade goes a long way. Her voice is sensually raspy, and I instantly get transported to whatever perfect-love scenario she's currently crooning about. The Beatles have a similar calming effect. It probably has something to do with growing up listening to their albums, back when I had no adult responsibilities. I asked Bella this question and she says calms the ol' nerves with The Sea and Cake.
What about you? What CD or artists do you listen to when you just want to kick back and relax?
Ben Sherman
Tibi
Designers Guild
Coldplay! Especially the X&Y album.
1I go to sleep to third eye blind and then coldplay comes on after. (Caligirl you have some good taste!!)I have to have music to sleep cannot stand silence when going to sleep.
2I have to agree with Miz Bella (again). The Sea and Cake always relaxes me. LOVE that band!
Also...
Sigur Ros
Kings of Convenience
Amandine
There's more but I'm drawing a blank.
3I continually find myself falling asleep to the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack. It works amazingly well, but it could just be becaause I like the movie so much. LOL.
4Antony and the Johnsons
but it's also heartbreaking
5Kate Rusby - she's amazing! Check out her Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/katerusby
6Sigur Ros
7She and Him
Nick Drake
Elliott Smith
Darude. especially Sandstorm.
8Give Pandora.com a try!
bless the fall, three days grace, linkin park.
9Maxwell and Sade are great cures for insomnia, but Erykah Badu's early stuff also does the trick.
10I would say some Sinatra, Coldplay or Bon Iver. The Beatles equal fun to me.
11Andrew Bird and Sufjan Stevens! oh and Iron and Wine/Sam Beam.
12And I'll agree with earlier posts and say Sigur Ros too
13Sigur Ros
14India.Arie
Sade
Coldplay
John Mayer
Jill Scott
Sarah McLachlan
Death Cab for Cutie
15i don't knwo what it is but it's all so boring it makes me want to go to sleep
Dido, Coldplay, and lately the Juno soundtrack.
16I go to sleep every night listening to Dido.
17Jack Johnson, for sure! and John Mayer sometimes. Oh, and John Denver because I used to got to sleep listening to him.
18Norah Jones and Diana Krall
19eisley, and sia
20I already answered a similar topic on Fit sugar but I don't mind answering especially since I might have some different answers.
Beach House
21Brian Wilson's Smile
Syd Barrett
The Smiths
Lullatone
Keren Ann
She & Him
Bob Dylan-some of Blonde On Blonde
Leonard Cohen
Nico
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Air
Stereolab
El Perro Del Mar
The Mamas and The Papas
and recently I discovered Lavender Diamond's cover of what apparently is originally an Abba song
Lavender Diamond's version is beautiful and apparently Zooey D. sings back up on it.
Agree, Air! I love listening to air and cooking after a long day at work.
22The ballads from Tokio Hotel, like "Rescue me" and "Forgotten Children". They're just so beautiful and sweet, its so calming.
23My radio station plays this amazing show, echoes, from 12-3 every night. I always fall asleep to that. It's acoustic, fusion, jazz...a little bit of everything!!! Here is the site so you can find it on a station near you.
http://www.echoes.org/
P.S. If anyone is in the NYC area, it's on WFUV 90.7
24Actually, I really love the softer Nine Inch Nails songs. There are a ton of beautiful instrumental songs on the Ghosts cds.
25NIN calms me, but I'm odd.
Ooh I almost forgot....
26Zachery Quinn
Zachery Quinn
For The Windows In Paradise.. by Sufjan Stevens
Monsoon by Tokio Hotel
Two by Ryan Adams
Playground by Sia
Gentlemen by Teddy Geiger
Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls
Float On by Ben Lee
Speeding Cars by Imogen Heap
When You Were Young (The Killers cover) by Astrid Swan
Drive by Incubus
27A few more that I always listen to:
Ex Cop by Hans Zimmer (from the soundtrack to The Pledge.)
Teardrop by Massive Attack
Lions and Tigers by Asobi Seksu
Umbrella (cover) by Marie Digby
Forever by The Beach Boys
28I can't believe I forgot to mention my all time favorite jazz artist!
Mindi Abair. Any song of her's is soothing for me.
29Right now, it's The Heart of the Matter, by India.Arie. Yep, still in a Sex and the City mood. =)
Oh, but I also go to The Pierces (anything of theirs, really) and Rihanna's acoustic version of Umbrella.
30I completely agree about Death Cab, menthadict! Listening to more than one their songs at a time knocks me right out.
I think The Album Leaf and Beat Radio are also very soothing and put me to sleep.
The National have some songs that are very soothing to me and don't make me tired which is always nice too. Haha
31For a long time I couldn't fall asleep without listening to Brian Eno's "Music for Airports."
Other chill music:
32Iron and Wine
Air (Moon Safari)
Calexico
Beck (Sea Change)
Dirty Three
Elliott Smith
Madeleine Peyroux
Azure Ray/Maria Taylor
Josh Groban for me.
33John Mayer
34Coldplay
The Beatles
When I'm stressed I listen to Aerosmith (though it isn't very calm) but when I can't sleep I like The Beatles and U2.
35Jack Johnson, Erykah Badu, Macy Gray, Janis Joplin, Steve Miller Band, The Sea and Cake, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Otis Redding
36Dean Martin
37Frank Sinatra,
Sammy Davis Jr
Angie Aparo
Norah Jones
John Legend
Michael Buble
1) Hem
382) Sarah Harmer
3) Joan as Police Woman
For me, The Perishers are great for soothing music especially Sway (any Veronica Mars fans?) and Nothing Like You and I. Tom Waits' I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You is another good one.
39Trentemoller is downtempo enough to help me relax. I also have a playlist on my ipod that I'll fall asleep to with everything from Sasha & Digweed to Kimball Collins to Paul van Dyk (Vorsprung van Dyk Technik not the new crap).
40Yea, i forgot Monsoon (thanks leeluvfashion
) that song is
so calming and soothing. It just takes me away.
41Massive Attack, Sia, Zero 7, Morcheeba, Portishead, Elliott Smith, Death Cab
42Jack Johnson
Coldplay
Travis
Collective Soul
Any 'unplugged' cd
That is all I can think of right now.
43The Cure - Disintegration
Bauhaus - The Singles 79-83
Sisters of Mercy - Floodland
Sinead - The lion and the cobra
Tori Amos - -little earthquakes
44Death Cab For Cutie, Jack Johnson and Zero 7
45I LOVE listening to John Mayer on a rainy day. But my other faves are slow songs by The Police, Dave Matthews Band, and this cd called Mob Hits..amazing!!
46Anything Acoustic
47Jack Johnson
John Mayer
Maroon 5
Jason Mraz
Colbie Caillat
Green Day's Macy's Day Parade, Good Riddance, Whatsername, and some others.
The Beatles
Coldplay
U2
Sara Bareilles
Norah Jones
Yael Naem's New Soul
i gave you all the love i've got, I gave you more than I could give, I gave you love. I gave you more than I have inside and you took my love, you took... my looooovvveee-- SADE
hands down!
48Carmen Lundy -Come Home
49Jaco Pastorious-Continuum
Karen Blixt-Faith Baby Faith
Miles Davis-Pharaoh's Dance
John Coltrane-Lazy Bird
I have yet to stay awake through the Disney movie FANTASIA! It must be the harp!
Seriously, it would have to be flute, harp, soft guitar or soft piano. Too many artists to mention here for me.
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